Tourist tax to double for British holidaymakers in Majorca and Ibiza - including cruises

BRITISH holidaymakers hiding to popular Spanish islands for their trip abroad this year will face higher costs as tourist tax is to double from today. Cruise passengers are also to be affected for the first time.

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The new costs will apply from today until October 31, as high season hits the Spanish islands

Tourists staying at five-star and four-star superior hotels and apartments will be charged €4 a day; four-star and three-star superior will see €3 euros a day and three, two and one-star accommodation will see €2 per day.

If staying for over nine days, the tax will be reduced by 50 per cent.

Cruise passengers will also be hit by the change for the first time, who have previously been exempt and will pay €2.

The new costs will apply from today until October 31, as high season hits the Spanish islands. It will then decrease by 50 per cent when it enters low season after this.

The ‘sustainable tourism tax’ is thought to bring in approximately €120 million in 2018.

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Tourist tax: The charges on the island are to double from today until October

Hoteliers fear it will put tourists off when visiting as prices increase.

President of the Hotel Federation of Majorca, Gabriel Llobera exclaimed: “Majorca and the rest of the islands will lose competitiveness as a holiday destination with respect to Turkey, Egypt or Tunisia, which will devalue their currencies to be much more attractive for German and British tourism.”

Tunisia and Turkey have already seen increasing numbers of tourists booking holidays this year, according to Thomas Cook, following a decrease after terrorist attacks.

The Balearic tourism department warned that will the increasing number of visitors to the island, it “generates greater environmental impacts”.

Therefore the new tax will go into paying for “environmental protection projects” to preserve the islands.

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Tourist tax: The revenue is to preserve the island as tourism increases

This will also include upgrading sewage and water plants in the region.

Children will not be charged, they have confirmed, and it will only affect travellers over the age of 16.

They also state that it is still lower than other countries; Brussels charges €8 whilst Florence charges €5.